Adolf slomka



F| ETN INNTOR;

Patented Malz 16, 1897.

A. SLUIS/IKA.l cA'mHE-Rs MITTEN.

I-l E (No Model.)

WITNESSES 2W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF SLOMKA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CATCHERS |v||TTEN.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,842, dated March 16, 1897.

Application filed November 12, 1896. Serial No. 611,824. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ADoLE SLoMKA, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OatchersMittens, of which-the following is a specification.

4 My invention relates to the class of handpsotectors for base-ball players or catchers mittens which are provided with protectingguards of stiff wire or the like to insure against injury to the hand from a ball thrown with great force; and the object is to provide protection about the whole hand, the wrist portion, as well as the lingers and thumbs.

In the accompanying drawings, -which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the mitten, partially broken away at two points in its margin to show the stiff guard-Wire; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same in the plane indicated by line x2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section on a somewhat larger scale than the principal gures. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the preferred construction of the mitten at the point where the front and back portions are laced together to permit of their being separated forinsertin g the padding or cushion material. Y

The present mitten is constructed in some respects like that described in my United States Patent No. 535,178, dated March 5, 1895, and this patent may be referred to for a knowledge of the state of the art.

The front 1 ofthe mitten is of a general oval shape, extending down to protect that portion of the hand which joins the wrist, and it is made cup-shaped to receive the padding or stuffing 2, usually of wool. VThe back 3 is of the same form as the front, the two forming a padded body, and to the back is attached the hand-retaining glove 4, set Well up into the center of the oval. The two parts 1 and 3 are secured permanently together at their margins preferably by eyelets 5, which extend through both plies, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, except at the lower part of the mitten, (marked X in Fig. 1,) where a space including about nine or ten eyelets will be constructed, by preference, as seen in Fig. 4; thatis to say, the eyelets 5 will not extend through both parts 1 and 3, but will be set in each part or ply and oppositely as reinforces for the holes and not as hollow rivets for securing the two plies permanentlytogether. This construction provides a mouth or opening in the mitten at X for the insertion of the wool 2, the opening being afterward closed by a lacing wire or cord (i, which may, if desired, be. extended entirely around the mitten, as shown. In the edge of the front or front ply 1 is formed a pocket or sheath 7, which extends entirely around the margin of the mitten and contains a stout-wire guard 8, which is in one piece, the ends being brought down into a crotch e, which the thumb portion of the mitten makes with the hand portion thereof. This wire 8 will be stiff and spring-like by preference, so as to enable it to ward olf any blow from the ball in playing and to guard the hand of the player at its base,where it joins the wrist, as well as the thumb and lingers.

Having thus described my invention, I do not herein claim nor limit myself to the riveting together of the front and back of the mitten nor to the extension of the lacing about the margin, nor to the use of wire spirally arranged for suoli lacing. All of these features are shown in my former patent. Nor do I claim, broadly, means at the margin of a mitten for protecting the lingers and thumb.

That I do claim is- 1. Acatchers mitten havinga padded body of generally oval form extending down to cover the hand at the wrist, a hand-retaining glove on the back of said body, and a stiff wire S, extending entirely around the margin of said body and secured thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. A catchers mitten having an oval, padded body and a hand-retaining glove secured on the back of said body in such position that the latter protects the wrist portion of the hand, and having a stiff, protecting wire 8 extending about the entire periphery of the said body and inclosed in a sheath forming one of the plies of the same.

3. A catchers mitten having "a body composedof a padded front portion 1, and a back portion 3, these parts being secured permanently together at their margins about the upper portion of the mitten and detachably roo my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLF SLOMKA.

Witnesses: Y

PETER A. Ross, HENRY CONNETT. 

